What If?
by iPodHeadPhones
Summary: There are so many ways in which the story of Alice could have differed. I am going to explore some of those ways. A series of non-related oneshots dealing with the possible divergence of the story onto different paths.
1. Dorothy

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**A/N: You can thank sickness-induced insomnia (right before finals, I might add) for this one. I find that 2:00am is the best time to write fic.  
**

**So, here's the first one. The title of the chapter should be clear by the end. Hope you enjoy. More explanation after.**

"Alice, come meet David!"

Alice took one last look at the book that bore her name, then meandered slowly down the long hallway from her bedroom to the main part of the apartment, in no hurry to exchange awkward conversation with the man who had saved her, no matter how "sweet" he was. Reaching the front room, she took one more moment to examine her intertwined hands, and then looked up.

And he was there.

He was there—his hair too flat, and his clothes too normal, and his hat in his hand instead of on his head, but still he was real, and _it _was real, and she hadn't dreamed it all, and she's happier than she's been in a long time, and it's true, and _he's here!_

"Hatter!" His name bursts from her lips in an exclamation of pure joy, and she hurtles herself toward him and into his arms, and whispers "You have no idea how happy I am to see you," into his ear.

It feels too good to have him there again, and yet...not right at all. His arms hang at his sides for a moment, and then come up only to push her gently away. This is not right at all. Where is her warm hug from the Casino? Her warm, loving, always-there Hatter?

"I'm sorry, miss, have we met before? What was that you called me?" His accent is all wrong—too much of her world, and too little of his.

She stares into his too-familiar brown eyes—as confused now as she had ever seen-and searches them for some sort of joke...surely he had to be joking—why else would he say something like that?

"Hatter?" His name is a plea this time, rather than the exclamation it had been before.

"My name's David Petasus, miss. You must be mistaking me for someone else."

Something inside of her shuts down. He didn't come after her. Who knew if he even existed—if Wonderland truly existed, or if her adventures had only been the result of shock-induced unconsciousness.

She can't see it, of course, but the light goes out of her eyes, and her voice goes flat. "Of course, how silly of me. You reminded me of someone I knew, once." Had she really known him?

"That's quite all right. I just wanted to see if you were okay. It seemed as if you had taken quite the tumble."

She wants to laugh hysterically at his choice of words. Tumble indeed.

"Yes, well," she swallows and licks her lips nervously, "thank you very much for finding me. I'm sure my mother can keep you entertained for a while...I'm still...very tired from my ordeal, I'm sure you understand." Her breath comes shortly, and her words spurt out erratically; she flashes him a half-hearted smile, and turns slowly back toward her bedroom.

Her mother eyes her worriedly, and starts to say something, but Alice cuts her off.

"Really, Mom, I'm fine. Just tired." And she was, she realized. The burst of energy that had propelled her across the room when she thought she'd seen Hatter had drained away, taking every other ounce of strength she had. She had to struggle to move her feet.

"Maybe I could come back and see you some time, when you're feeling better?"

He sounded hopeful, and she couldn't stand to crush that hope, so she smiled wanly at him, and said, "Maybe." And then continued into her room. Shutting the door behind her, she collapsed onto her bed. If Wonderland had been a dream, it was a dream to which she was determined to return.

**A/N: So this is almost definitely the end of this What If? I want to leave it up to the reader to decide whether it was all a dream or not, and whether she will go back through the looking glass. Also, I was trying to capture some of her overwhelming emotions in this, which is why there are a lot of run-ons in it. **

**Oh and "Petasus" (David's last name) is Latin for hat. I thought it would be a nice touch. Hehe, I also picture him with a Southern accent. Dunno why.  
**

**Reviews are much appreciated, as I can't decide if I like this or not.**


	2. Almost There

**A/N: Don't you just _love_ writing fic when you should be studying for finals? Here's another what-if situation. More lengthy note at the end. **

**I disclaim. **

Alice bent over the writing desk provided by Doctors Crazy and Crazier, and scribbled down the first address she could think of

_Locker 208, Central Station, 4th Avenue, across the road from Plush Platforms and Pumps_

She had no idea if there even _was_ a locker 208 at Central Station, and she knew for a fact that it wasn't across the street Plush Platforms and Pumps—that was one of her mother's favorite shops in her hometown of San Francisco, far away from New York. Alice was trusting the Queen's lack of knowledge about her world to get her through this. Once she was convinced that the Ring was in Alice's world, she might let her go. And then she could hide out for a while, use the Ring to get home, then leave it with Hatter, so that he could use it to help the Resistance to pull down the despotic Queen. Hatter...the thought of leaving him panged more than it should have, and she pushed the thought out of her head for now. There would be plenty of time to think about it later.

She heard the wooden doors slide open, and then a wonderfully familiar voice shout "Whoa!" just as she was putting the finishing touches on her fake address. She looks up and sees...

"Hatter!"

"Who's that?"

"Go away! This is a private session!"

Hatter extends his hand to her. "Jump!"

"Get rid of him!"

Alice can feel her whole body shake as she climbs up onto the desk and jumps to the chandalier in the middle of the room. Hanging there, she tries to time her jump exactly. She fails; as she is letting go, Alice can feel that she's let go too soon. the very tips of her toes land on the ledge, and she feels Hatters arms wrap around her, and for one blissful moment she thinks she's safe. But then her toes slip, and they are both falling backwards into the cement-sided pit the Doctors had conjured up for her.

Near the bottom of the seemingly endless hole into which they are falling (for hours, or only seconds? Alice can't decide), Hatter continues to hold her, and whispers "I love you."

And then it's over.

**A/N: Okay, so I know that, should you be falling into an endless pit of doom, the first thing on your mind probably wouldn't be to tell the person with you that you love them, but it felt unfinished without it. **

**This was what popped into my head on my gazillionth rewatching of the miniseries, and I wanted to write it. I promise, this fic isn't turning into an angst-fest. I'm thinking that the next what-if will be happy...we'll see if I can do that. **

**Reviews make me not kill anyone in the next chapter :-D**

**HeadPhones.  
**


	3. Made It!

**So, this is a sort of alternate ending to the previous chapter. The beginning is exactly the same, and it doesn't change until they fall into the pit. There, as always, will be a longer note at the end of the chapter. (P.S No more finals! Just...*cough* a um ten page paper that still needs to be written *cough* Who cares, right? Fanfic supercedes all) (That made my Ravenclaw hurt just a little bit.) Anywho, enjoy!**

**I own nothing.**

Alice bent over the writing desk provided by Doctors Crazy and Crazier, and scribbled down the first address she could think of

_Locker 208, Central Station, 4th Avenue, across the road from Plush Platforms and Pumps_

She had no idea if there even _was_ a locker 208 at Central Station, and she knew for a fact that it wasn't across the street Plush Platforms and Pumps—that was one of her mother's favorite shops in her hometown of San Francisco, far away from New York. Alice was trusting the Queen's lack of knowledge about her world to get her through this. Once she was convinced that the Ring was in Alice's world, she might let her go. And then she could hide out for a while, use the Ring to get home, then leave it with Hatter, so that he could use it to help the Resistance to pull down the despotic Queen. Hatter...the thought of leaving him pained her more than it should have, so she pushed it out of her head for now. There would be plenty of time to think about it later.

She heard the wooden doors slide open, and then a wonderfully familiar voice shout "Whoa!" just as she was putting the finishing touches on her fake address. She looks up and sees...

"Hatter!"

"Who's that?"

"Go away! This is a private session!"

Hatter extends his hand to her. "Jump!"

"Get rid of him!"

Alice can feel her whole body shake as she climbs up onto the desk and jumps to the chandelier in the middle of the room. Hanging there, she tries to time her jump exactly, and fails. As she is letting go, Alice can feel that it's too soon. The very tips of her toes land on the ledge, and she feels Hatters arms wrap around her, and for one blissful moment she thinks she's safe. But then her toes slip, and they are both falling backwards into the cement-sided pit the Doctors had conjured up for her.

And then they land, Hatter's arms still wrapped around her. He lets out a sharp "Oomph" as she falls on top of him, and says, "That's gonna bruise." One of his eyes cracks open, and he looks around. "Seriously, Alice? _This_ is what you were so afraid of?"

They are, she realizes, only about eight feet below the broken edge of planking that had held her up.

"I didn't know. They must've made it just deep enough that I wouldn't feel the bottom when I hung of the board." She muses, and then halts her inspection of the pit as she feels him shaking. "Hatter, what's wr-Are you _laughing _at me?" Her mouth drops open and, realizing that she's still laying on top of him, she scrambles to her feet. "That's not fair! You _know_ I'm afraid of—"

She is cut off by one of the Doctors. "Oh shut up already. We couldn't have let you die..."

"The queen would have been simply furious..."

"And no matter how much she loves her doctors, even we aren't _completely_..."

"Indispensable in the end."

"So all of that was just to make me scared enough to give up the Ring?"

"Of course. And it worked, didn't it?"

Hatter shoots her a sharp look, one that clearly says "What the hell have you done?"

She ignores it for the moment. She'll have time enough to explain later. _If we make it out of here. _She shoves that thought away; it's almost too easy—she's had a lot of practice not thinking unpleasant thoughts.

"So how're we going to get out of here?"

"Fear not, Brave Alice! I shall use my prowess in the _dark arts_ to _lift_ you and your...harbinger out of the crater of despair into which you have fallen!" And, to Alice's everlasting surprise, the floor (which, she now realizes, is cleverly constructed of mirrors to give the impression of infinite depth) begins to shift upward, inch by inch, until it is high enough that she and Hatter can lift themselves onto the hardwood floor, and make their escape.

As they run, Hatter nudges Alice and says with a grin, "Who woulda guessed the old coot had it in him, eh?"

"I heard that!"

**Gotta love Charlie. I hope you liked it—I did promise something happy this time. It's funny how much easier it is to write angst (at least for me); this one took significantly longer than the other two have. I dunno where I'm gonna go with the next one—I have lots of ideas, it's just a matter of getting them onto paper.**

**Reviews make me happy :-D**

**HeadPhones. **


	4. Worried

**A/N: So, here's another installment. Hope you like it! As always, there's a longer note at the end.**

**I disclaim.**

"I was beginning to think you weren't coming back."

He leans back a little, and then forward, casts his eyes down, and says, "You still don't trust me?" He ties to pass the question off nonchalantly, but she knows him well enough by now to know when he's playing a con. She wonders what he's hiding.

Alice is taken aback. "No! I was just..." She looks down, and half-turns away, unwilling (or unable?) to tell him the truth, to say the one word that would change their relationship completely: _worried._

He gently takes her chin in one of his hands, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Just what, Alice?" She says nothing, and he doesn't push, just waits, not letting her look away.

"Worried! All right? I was worried about you." It comes out more harshly than she means it to, the embarrassment making her hostile. She wrenches her face out of his hand, and turns away, crossing her arms across her chest.

And she waits for a response, most likely one she won't want to hear: _look, Alice, we haven't known each other for very long, this might be a little fast, _or _You're a great friend, let's leave it at that, yeah? _She'd heard it often enough, to the point where she stopped letting her emotions show. To the point where _she was_ the one pushing people away—like with Jack.

But the dreaded response never comes. She waits, and waits, and when she's sure he must have walked away (somehow infinitely worse than the cutting words she was expecting), she turns and readies herself to trudge back down the hill. She prepares in her head what she's going to say to Hatter when she sees him. There is a lot of damage control to be done.

She lifts her head, and there he stands, looking dumbstruck, but most definitely still there. _Well that's something._

She sighs. "Look, Hatter-"

"You were worried about me? About my welfare, or that I might just up and leave you with Sir Insane down there?"

Reddening, she just nods.

"...both?"

She nods again, unable to meet his eyes.

Something flares in his eyes, something surprisingly like hope, then suddenly he's swooping down on her, cupping her face gently in his hands. And he kisses her, tentatively at first, giving her plenty of time to pull away, if she wants to.

But she doesn't, much as she thinks she should. It feels...right. She realizes that this kiss was something she had wanted for some time, but didn't know until that moment. And so she gives herself over to it, running her nails lightly over his scalp. His hat falls off and sits, forgotten, on the ground. Her fingers finally come to rest, tangled in the messy hair at the nape of his neck.

She feels him smile at her reaction, and he gathers her into his arms. They break away, both breathing a little heavily. She lays her head against his chest, and they stand that way for some time, knowing they will have to talk later, but for right now they can just feel. There's time.

Or is there?

"Alice?"

Her head pops up. _Jack?_

**A/N 2: So, I'll leave it to you to decide whether or not she still goes with Jack. I'm actually pretty curious what you guys come up with...**

**I'm really, **_**really**_** nervous about the kiss. I don't usually write kisses. Seriously, not at all. I hope this one came out well—I did a ridiculous amount of editing on it.**

**Also, I'm giving myself a project: I'm going to try to update this story every Sunday, starting this week, until I run out of ideas, at which time I will update when the plot bunnies come a-hopping again in my head.**

**Hope you enjoyed! Till next time,**

**HeadPhones**


	5. Tragically Interested

**A/N: Hi there! Sorry it's so late, I got really swamped with homework this weekend. Longer/another note at the end, as always. **

**I disclaim.**

Hatter was unusually interested in this oyster in the wet blue dress.

And not just because she managed to look _very_ good, disheveled as she was. The fact that she could act—and not just _act_ but_ be_—defiant, lost and alone and friendless as she was, intrigued him to no end.

And so he found himself buying her off Ratty for an unusually high price (he truly hoped the man wouldn't overdose; he was a decent informant, despite his rank smell), and promising to take her to Dodo, no matter that the man was more than half-mad, inflated with his self-importance, and probably didn't possess a fraction of the power to which he pretended. This oyster—Alice, she said her name was, and that was a reason to take notice, if nothing else—made a man want to do things for her. Her presence very nearly intimidated Hatter. Hatter had not been intimidated in a long time.

Oh yes, he was very interested in her.

He briefly considered pausing to don the body armor he usually wore when outside his shop, but discarded the idea quickly; Dodo liked to wave his gun around, but it was all show. The idiot man probably didn't even keep it loaded.

The fear of heights was unexpected. It made this Alice much more human, if not less impressive. Hatter put on a gruff face—the easiest to hide behind—and tried to appear annoyed rather than fascinated as he led her by the hand across the ledge.

He feared his expression might have slipped, and that she had noticed, but she was too focused on _not_ looking down to actually _look_ at anything else.

He couldn't help showing off his knowledge about the library to her, just a little bit, and the childlike look of wonder and sadness on her face made it worthwhile. The stunt with the cheese was pure bravado, and he hoped she mistook his inability to keep his eyes off of her during it as insolence rather than fascination.

In Dodo's meeting room, he decided to test her defiance, purposefully using the wrong last name for her Jack, to see if she would still correct him while at the wrong end of more than one gun. She did. Would the wonders never cease?

When Dodo started waving his gun around and ranting about the Stone of Wonderland, Hatter instinctively stepped in front of the girl—what the hell was it about her?—and grabbed the barrel. And, for the first time in all the years Hatter and he had been reluctantly coexisting, Dodo shot his gun.

His last thought was that it was a pity he wouldn't be able to see the outcome of this intriguing little oyster's journey across Wonderland.

And then blackness.

**A/N 2: This note comes to you in three parts:  
1. I know, I'm a terrible person for killing Hatter (again).  
2. This one took me longer than any of the others to write—I think it's because it has some actual substance to it (despite how short it is), and because it's in Hatter's POV, which is new for me.  
3. I just want to say thanks to all of the people who have taken the time to read the story, and to review it. Especially to those of you who review consistently. It really keeps me writing, knowing that people are out there, reading and enjoying it.**

**So, I won't hold any characters hostage for reviews this time, but they are always much appreciated! **

**Till next time,  
HeadPhones**


	6. It Never Happened

**A/N: I'm so, so, so, so, so, so, _so_ sorry that this is so late. I was toodling along today, y'know, doing homework, reading PostSecret, and other usual Sunday activities, and all of a sudden, it's 11:15, and I realize, "Crap! I have to write fic!" So, this isn't going to be my best, because I gave myself so little time to write it (It's currently 11:58 where I am), but it's here, and you'll all be able to read it tomorrow. Another note at the end, as always (though, at this point, the notes might just be longer than the actual fic.) Enjoy!**

**I disclaim.  
**

Jack contemplated slipping the Ring to Alice. She had shown in these past six weeks that she was an intensely trustworthy and loyal person, though also very independent. She had exhibited her independence tonight by rejecting the offer to "meet his family," and even more so by essentially kicking him out when he offered her the Ring.

That had been impetuous of him, but he had panicked a little when he received that frantic text from his Resistance contact in this world. Giving Alice the Ring would make her a target, which he definitely didn't want; despite his less-than-honest reasons for making contact with her, he was—regretfully—falling for this Oyster.

No, he decided, he wouldn't give her the Ring, and damn the consequences.

Alice was sorry to see Jack go. She hadn't been lying to her mother when she said that he was different, but he moved much too quickly. She must have been more insistent in asking him to leave than she had thought: he never showed up to another class, never called, never picked up his phone, and never dropped by any more. It only contributed to her sureness that no man would ever stick around.

But then one did. His name was David, and he worked part-time in Construction to pay for the few University classes he could take. Which was how they met, in a class in Sociology. He was sweet to her, and obviously head-over-heels, and she found herself liking him, a lot. More than any of the others.

And so, this time, when a man got down on one knee, she said yes. And lived a happy life. A quiet life. And she was...fond of David.

But sometimes, she had the most vivid dreams about a place where emotions were bottled, and knights truly existed, and a despotic queen ruled her people with a quick fix and an iron fist.

And she dreamed of a man. One who loved her enough to take a bullet, to run in front of a wild beast—when she woke up, she put the name Jabberwock to it, though she didn't know why—and to give up everything to be with her.

She could never decide, when she woke up, whether these dreams were good or bad. They put in her a yearning that she could not fulfill, because she didn't know what she yearned _for._ She never told David about them; he wouldn't understand. He was a good man—reliable, loving, tolerant of her mood swings and recklessness, but not terribly deep. Not simple, but unwilling to look down into a problem when the solution seemed to lie on the surface.

And so she existed. And for as long as she lived, she had a fondness for men in hats, and men with Yorkshire accents.

And she didn't know why.

**A/N 2: So, there it is, it's kind of ramble-y. I don't mean to suggest in it that Alice is unhappy, just not as happy as she would have been had she gone through the Looking Glass. I just think that she was _meant_ to meet Hatter, and she could only be truly happy with him. I dunno. Feedback is much appreciated, especially since this one is so random. **

**Also, I have a few more ideas floating around, but if any of you have an idea for a What-If scenario let me know in a review, since my store of ideas is running a bit low. I have enough for a few more weeks, and I'm sure that as I rewatch Alice again (and again, and again) more will come along, but it's always good to have a bunch. **

**One last thing. You should all watch Primeval. It has Andrew-Lee Potts (Hatter) in it, and he's _adorable_. I started watching it for him, but the show is addicting. **

**That's all, I swear. Till next time,**

**HeadPhones.  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Y'know who I hate? Fanfic authors who don't update. No really, I think they should be sent to the lowest levels of fandom hell. Which is where I'm going to take myself as soon as this is published. **

**In all siriusness, though, I'm really sorry I didn't update last week. But family+homework+a bout of iron-sided-steel-reinforced-brick-wall writer's block=no fic for HeadPhones. So here's this chapter, and I'll get back on track next week.**

**This chapter is dedicated to Katy23, who gave me the idea for this What If?**

**I disclaim.  
**

Hatter wakes and blinks the bleariness of sleep out of his eyes. What had disturbed him? Some sort of noise, probably—he had trained himself to be a light sleeper, and the uncomfortable position on the rocky ground only heightened that ability—and there was no shortage of stray noises in these woods.

_Prob'ly just a tree shiftin' or somethin'_ he thinks to himself before settling down again to sleep. Just as he's closing his eyes, however, Hatter notices motion out of the corner of his eye and stiffens just a hair. The motion shifts further into his view, and by the light of the few dying embers left in the fire, he can just make out a blur of blue dress and pale limbs stretching to hang one shadow over another. _Alice?_ Was that his jacket? Why would she...? Oh!

Anger flares inside of him. After _everything _he'd said, all of the warnings he'd given about the lunacy of the Queen and her court, she was just going to up and leave? Just...just walk _right_ _into a trap?_ Forcing down the rage, Hatter decides that his calm face is most appropriate for the situation, to keep her from bolting like a rabbit. He makes sure his features are smooth before calling out.

"Alice?"

She jumps and turns to face him, guilt written all over the half of her face not shrouded in shadow. "Um...hi, Hatter. I didn't realize you were..." she clears her throat and straightens her shoulders. "Look, I know that you said that Jack couldn't be rescued, and that I should just go home, but I can't just leave him here. He's not a thief, I promise, and I don't know how he got the ring, but it was honest, and he just wanted to impress me, so it's really all my fault he's here in the first place, so I have to help him. Please, understand that."

And everything clicks for Hatter—her single-minded devotion to finding her Jack wasn't a result simply of stubborness.

"You blame yourself." It wasn't a question, but she nods anyway.

"People always leave. It can't be a coincidence that so many people in my life have gone away..." She looks down and to the side, unable to believe that she is spilling so much to a man she's only just met. "None of my friends' dads abandoned them. It had to be something about me that pushed him away." Tears glitter on her eyelashes, and Hatter longs to go to her and brush them away, his anger long since faded away, but stands his ground, sensing that she isn't finished speaking. "And it's even worse with Jack...I actually kicked him out when he tried to offer me the Ring, and now he's in trouble. I _have to _help him."

Hatter is dumbfounded by her sudden confession. He opens his mouth, ready with more well crafted arguments for why she shouldn't go, but all that comes out is, "_I_ won't leave."

By the muted light of the false dawn, Hatter can see the hard lines of her face soften minutely. "Yeah..." It comes out a sigh. "Yeah, I'm starting to see that."

"But you still have to go?"

She nods.

He sighs resignedly. "Fine, go. I won't stop you. I wish you all the luck in the world, Alice." Hatter draws a smile from reserves so deep he didn't know they existed, and said, "take the jacket though, all right? It was a gift, and the nights here can get cold."

She doesn't respond, just removes the jacket from the post she had hung it on and strides out of the camp. Hatter turns back toward his sleeping place, scoops up his hat, flips it onto his head, and waits for her footsteps to recede. As they do, he turns, and catches one last glimpse of his Oyster before she fades into the growing light of the dawn.

**A/N 2: So, I was going to write more of this, in which he was all angsty for a while and then decided to follow her, but I felt like it ended pretty well here, so I'll leave it up to your imaginations what happens next. This definitely isn't my favorite installment, due in part to the fact that I had to force it (sometimes literally word by word) out from behind the writer's block.**

**But I hope you all liked it!**

**Till next time,**

**HeadPhones**


	8. What Was His Name Again?

**Hallooo. Here's my latest installment. It is by far the longest, but I'm pretty happy with it. This line has been niggling to be written about for a while now, so here it is. Longer note at the end.**

**Also, this one has kind of an almost more T rating, for some brief, pretty harmless innuendo.  
**

**I disclaim. **

_"And with much chocolate and cream cake 'like' turns into 'what was his name again?'"_

_Much chocolate and cream cake..._

The words echo again and again through Alice's head, and a plan coalesces. She grabs a jacket and her house key off of hooks by the door and calls out to her mother, "Be back in a couple of hours."

Carol's head pops out from around the divide between the kitchen and the living room. "Are you all right, sweetie?"

"Yeah, fine, mom. There's just something I think I might have to do."

"No, it's okay, spare me the details. I don't need to know." Carol raises her eyebrows at her daughter, and when Alice doesn't respond, she sighs, and says, "Try and be back before it's dark, okay?"

Alice rolls her eyes, but smiles and says, "Will do. See you later."

And with that, she is out the door and on her way to her favorite bakery, three blocks down from her house. As she walks, she reflects on the past month and a half.

Alice had made every attempt she could to forget about Wonderland, and the people she had left there. She had thrown herself into her studies, both in school and in her martial arts, pushing herself harder than she ever had before. None of it worked. No matter how exhausted she was when she arrived home at night, or how many times she forced herself to read over her notes, _he_ was always there, in the back of her mind waiting for a slip in her concentration so he could push, once again, to the forefront of her thoughts.

This trip is Alice's last resort. Though, how she is supposed to forget about a man while taking his advice was beyond her.

Walking into the pristinely French-Country-themed bakery, Alice regards the display cases full of wondrous pastries, and realizes she has no idea what cream cake looks like. Hesitantly, she hails one of the bakery attendants, and asks about the cake. Is this a mistake? Do they even _have_ cream cake on this side of the Looking Glass?

Apparently, they do. In three flavors. Alice orders a slice of each, wincing at how much sugar she was about to consume. Oh well, he had said "_much."_

Alice finds a place in a corner to sit, her back to the door, and allows her thoughts to wander.

_...turns into what was his name again?_

What was his name? He couldn't possibly have been _born_ with the name Hatter. Of course, it was Wonderland. "Couldn't possibly" wasn't often taken into consideration there.

Bite.

There was so much she didn't know about him. Who were his parents? _Where_ were his parents? How long since he had started helping people—being there when they "passed the hat. So t'speak?" Alice almost smiled. But was that really why people called him Hatter, or was it just another web he'd spun of words to capture her trust?

Bite.

_Like turns into..._

Did she like Hatter? Of course. She wouldn't be here, attempting to take his advice (mockingly offered as it was) if she didn't. The real question floated around and around her mind: would she still like Hatter, if she saw him again? Would the image she had built up around him in her head shatter without all of the pressure of the frenzied trip through Wonderland to hold it in place? Her perception of him had to be inflated; no man—no _person_—could possibly be that good, that...heroic. No, it was best that she wasn't seeing him again. He would just be a disappointment.

Bite.

But that was the thing: he never _had_ disappointed her. In all of the time she had known him (granted, it had only been four days, but it felt like a lifetime), he had always shown up just at the right moment. Always there, always saving her. This lack of appearance was decidedly out of character.

Alice slumps back in her chair, the cream cake sitting heavily in her stomach. She sighs, convinced she would be unable to take another bite, despite only being halfway through the second piece. _Stupid Hatter and his stupid inability to even give out good breakup advice. _

She didn't realize she'd mumbled that last part aloud until she heard a voice behind her announce, "I thought it was rather good advice, actually. Maybe your cream cake is sub par."

Alice whips around. There he stood, in clothes much more subdued than she ever would have expected out of him—dark jeans, black t-shirt, gray waistcoat, black suit coat with purple pinstripes, and a black fedora—but grinning that same cocky grin.

"Hatter!" Flabbergasted, she searches for the right words, and stutters out, "What...? Why...? How did you find me?"

He circles her, and takes the seat opposite her at the table. "I was headed to your house to see you, but as I came up, you were leaving. I wanted to see where you were going." He shrugs, taking a swipe out of her cake with his finger, and sucking on it thoughtfully before continuing. "It was hard not to let you know I was there, but...I didn't know. I mean, if you wanted to see me..." He casts his eyes down, evidently embarrassed at having revealed so much so soon. "That cake is most definitely substandard, by the way. That must have been your problem."

"It tasted just fine to me."

"That's because you've never tasted mine."

"You bake?"

He nods once, "I bake."

She pauses for a moment, taking in this revelation, then leans forward, crossing her arms onto the table. Taking a deep breath, she makes the plunge.

"Maybe the cream cake wasn't the problem. Maybe the man I was trying to forget just wouldn't be forgotten." There, it was out there, let him make what he would of it.

His eyebrows shoot nearly to his hairline and he leans forward, mirroring her. "Well, who might this bloke be?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"So I can beat the stuffing out of him for not knowing what a good thing he had when he had it. And for making you gorge yourself of such poorly constructed cream cake." He glances down, ostensibly examining the offending baked good.

Alice brushes aside his feeble attempt at a subject change. "It's you, Hatter."

He chokes. "Well, that's...that's..." he blows out a sharp breath, "wow."

Alice balks, backpedaling quickly, "Sorry. I shouldn't have—I'll just..." she gestures vaguely over her shoulder toward the door, standing, intent upon putting as much distance between herself and the embarrassing situation as possible. She had turned and taken a step before his voice calls her back.

"Wait, Alice."

He takes her gently by the shoulder, and turns her around, and she is surprised by how close he is standing.

"Don't go just yet. Give me a chance to explain?"

She nods, and he smiles, just a little, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I was just surprised. It's been, what, six weeks here since you left Wonderland? I was sure you'd have found someone by now."

She shakes her head. "Not even close. I've spent my entire time _here_ trying not to think about everything that happened _there_. It just hurt too much, knowing that I was here, and you—all of you, Charlie, and Jack, and Caterpillar—but mostly _you_-" she pushes gently on his chest for emphasis "were all there."

"But I'm here now."

She nods, then throws her arms around his neck, and his go around her waist, and she thinks he might have whispered "finally" against her ear, but she's not sure, and right now it's not important. She's as close to him as she can get, but it's not close enough, so she pulls back just enough to crash her mouth against his, keeping their bodies flush against each other, and reveling in the sensation of finally having him there, and touching him, and having him respond so enthusiastically to the kiss. They remain that way until the a throat being cleared raises them from their reverie, both blushing like teenagers caught doing things they shouldn't in the back of a movie theater. They reseat themselves on either side of the table, holding hands across the top, unwilling to break contact now that it had been established.

"So," she asks, "how _did _you get here?"

[O ]-==:

Hours later, the bakery is closing, and the manager is politely but firmly asking them to leave, going so far as to have the untouched leftovers packed into boxes without first asking the couple, who barely notice, too engrossed in their conversation.

As they stand up to leave, Hatter picks up the box and asks, "So, any plans on what to do with the rest of this cake?"

"I was going to take it home to my mom. Why?"

"Oh, I was just thinking I could put it to...better use." He smirks, eying her up and down nearly the same way he had back in his office, when she showed up dripping wet. Except now something more glints in his eyes, something decidedly warmer.

"Can you now? And I suppose you have a place to carry out these 'better uses?'"

"Of course. If you'll kindly follow me, my lady Just Alice."

Alice smiles, and follows her Hatter out of the bakery. Her image of him hadn't shattered that evening as he told his story, only grown more shining, if that were possible. She smiled, content knowing that this was one man whose name she wouldn't want to forget.

**A/N 2: So, I think the ending is kinda weak, and while writing this, I think I changed tenses about a gazillion times. I'm pretty sure I got all of them in editing, but if you noticed anything, let me know. Tense changes are sort of the bane of my existence (that and punctuating quotes, but we'll not get into that). **

***coughs* So, Alice and Hatter having fun with cream cake. I could get into that *is embarrassed* I truly wish I had the skill (and the guts) to write something like that, but, alas, I do not. Should it strike anyone else's fancy, though, feel free to write it, just let me know that you did. **

**Last thing, the "You bake?" "I bake." exchange had me singing "computer age philosophy..." in my head. If you can place that reference, you get an internet hug and baked good of your choice.  
**

**Till next time,**

**HeadPhones.**


	9. RealLife Dementors

**A/N: So, I started off with this prompt: What if Alice had short hair (like Abby [from the TV show _Primeval_]) and didn't need hair pins? from Katy23 (thanks!), and it got wildly out of control. Seriously, I never intended it to end like this. The structure might get confusing, so here it is: it starts at the beginning of the series, in our world, then goes to when Alice is being transported in the boxes hanging from the Scarab, then goes to Carol's POV, post-miniseries. More at the end, as always. **

**I disclaim.  
**

Alice needed a change in her life.

Nothing too drastic—she didn't want to move, or to change jobs, or even to travel, just to do something small that would feel significant. So she gave herself two choices: either she chopped all of her hair off, or she got a piercing in an entirely inappropriate place.

The hair it was then.

It all went—all she had left at the end of her day at the salon was three inches of dark brown clinging to her head; surprisingly, without all of the extra weight pulling on the bottom, it was a little bit wavy.

It was also blessedly light; it would be wonderful not to need to spend ten minutes washing it in the shower, or to put it up for martial arts, or to style and brush it every time she went out. But the best part? She would never have to abuse herself by sticking her head with those damn bobby pins to keep it out of her face again.

She couldn't _wait_ to show Jack.

* * *

Alice's fingers fumbled to find a way--any way--out of the little box trapping her. Wait, what was...? Yes! A latch, if she could only...But, no. Her fingers were just barely too short. Alice fumbled through her pockets, all over her dress, and searched her wrists and neck for anything she could use to unhook the one little bar of metal holding her in the case.

Nothing. Damn.

What the hell was going to happen to her?

* * *

Carol couldn't figure out what was wrong with her daughter.

Ever since she had chased after Jack and hit her head, she had just seemed...flat. She showed no emotion, and never appeared to take any enjoyment from anything. To be fair she almost never seemed exactly _unhappy_, either, she just didn't feel at all. She rarely spoke, and her stubborn streak never made an appearance--something Carol thought she would appreciate, but in fact missed desperately.

She didn't seem to have lost any of her other mental faculties--she still did well at university, and she remembered everything she knew about her martial arts, but the fire with which she had attacked every new project was gone.

Alice did seem to have some almost lucid moments, when her eyebrows would crinkle, and she would look hunted, as though the real Alice was somewhere, buried deep and was trying desperately to get out. Carol tried to coax emotion out of her every time, recounting happy and sad stories from her own and Alice's childhoods, ones that had always elicited a strong response, but now could barely tease out a vaguely confused look, before Alice resumed staring into the middle distance.

And so, even thousands of dollars of worthless therapy later, Carol wasn't entirely surprised to find the note sitting on the kitchen table, and Alice, gone.

_Mom-_

_I would miss you if I could. I would be sorry to leave you, like Dad did. I would be sad that you are going to be in so much pain. I know I should feel all of these things, but I can't, and so I can't stay, _

_I remember loving you,  
Alice. _

**A/N 2: So the premise of this is that, instead of killing the Oysters once all of their emotions are drained, the Suits just send them back to our world, emotionless. And that made me think of Dementors from the _Harry Potter _series, hence the name of the chapter.  
In writing the end, I pictured the note as a suicide note, but upon rereading it, it would also just be Alice going away. You can decide which you like better.  
I really wanted to work Hatter in there somewhere, maybe to bring her back from the brink of this, but it didn't work out, since they hadn't met yet.  
Sorry it's so sad :-/**

**Till next time,  
HeadPhones. **


	10. Songs

**A/N: Hi, everyone. Long time no see. So, I jumped on the bandwagon and did the whole 10 songs writing exercise. It feels like a cop-out, but I'll definitely be back onto the actual chapters next week. I've already got it mostly written. Now you get a view into my *ahem* eclectic (read: spastic and embarrassing) music collection. **

**I disclaim.  
**

1. Song: Don't Trust Me - 3OH!3

Situation: She finally trusts him.

_"Oh, I see. You don't trust me. Fine!"_

_"You still don't trust me after I...I risked my neck, gettin' you out of there."_

_"You still don't trust me?"_

Alice runs through in her head all of th times she didn't trust him. And now, looking at his face, earnest through all of the "just cuts and bruises," she realizes that she, does, finally. She trusts this man more than she ever has anyone, except maybe her mother. And so, she throws her arms around his neck, ecstatic that he's standing before her, so that she can finally demonstrate that she will show the same kind of faith in him that he had shown in her since the beginning.

"I thought you were dead..."

* * *

2. Song: Romeo and Juliet - The Brown Derbies (a cappella version of the Dire Straits song)

Situation: What if Alice was still living with her mom, and Hatter had an apartment in the city? After the end of the miniseries.

_"Love struck Romeo, sings a sweet soft serenade, and he's laying everybody low, with the love song that he made, finds a street light, steps out of the shade, and says something like, "you and me, babe, how about it?"_

"Hey, Alice! Alice!"

Alice slides open the winder to the street, and looks down at her Hatter. "Hatter! Come on up."

"No, you come down. I have something to show you."

She stands at the window for another moment, looking down at him inquiringly, then pulls her head back in, and looks at her mother, "Mom, I know we were in the middle of dinner, but Hatter's..."

"...Just being Hatter," Carol replied, having long before accepted the strange nickname Alice had given her boyfriend.

Alice rushed down the stairs and out the door, intrigued as to what Hatter had in store for her tonight.

* * *

3. Song: Far Away - Nickelback

Situation: What if Hatter had taken longer to show up than he did at the end of the miniseries? Say, a week or two (our time, not Wonderland time).

_"And I love you, I loved you all along. And I missed you, been far away for far too long."_

They sit in Hatter's comfortably apartment, just enjoying one another's company. Suddenly, Hatter turns to her.

"I'm so sorry to took me so long to come to you. I missed you more than I can say, but I had no idea if you felt the same...I thought maybe you had just come here to tie up loose ends, and then were coming back to Jack. But the weeks dragged on, and you didn't return, and then Jack's reengagement to the Duchess was announced, and I just had to see if you wanted me. I love you, Alice, I have for... a while. I missed you _so much_. It was like the worst possible concoction of tainted Teas, but I stuck it out, because I figured it was better not knowing than having you...not feel the same.

He leaned his forehead against hers, and whispered again "I missed you."

* * *

4. Song: Mockingbird - Rob Thomas

Situation: What if, after their adventure, Alice and Hatter just can't seem to make it work?

"_Maybe you and me got lost somewhere, we can't move on, we can't stay here. Well maybe we've just had enough, well maybe we ain't meant for this love."_

"Just get the hell out! Get out! I just...I can't look at you anymore," Alice screamed, throwing everything in reach at Hatter.

There was tragedy in his eyes as he turned and walked out the door, without a word. Alice held it together just long enough for the door to close behind him, and then sank to her nears, her whole body wracked with sobs.

This wasn't the first time she had thrown him out, ad he would come back, she knew he would--he always did. But what if...what if they weren't mean to be together? What if the whole thing had been a farce, a too-happy fairytale ending. Nothing could end like that.

She tried to imagine a life without Hatter, and the vision was worse than any fight they'd ever had, because, as rocky as the relationship had been, it had also given her the best days of her life.

Alice sat there on her knees for a few more seconds, then stood up, drying her eyes. She grabbed a jacket and her purse, and set off after him, determined to do whatever she must to make this right.

* * *

5. Song: Two is Better than One - Boys Like Girls

Situation: Hatter remembers the first time he saw Alice.

"_I remember what you wore on the first day you came into my life and I thought 'Hey, this could be something.'"_

She had been beautiful, and defiant, and damn strong, not giving an inch despite being lost and alone. _Not alone for long, though_, thought Hatter. He had been determined, from the beginning not the let her out of his sight. He wasn't sure when the vague interest had turned to love, but turn it had. He had resisted for a long time, understandable, as he had lived his life alone for such a long time. He wasn't used to letting people in. But he had made room for her.

Hatter turned, pulled from his reverie by the sound of dozens of chairs scraping as people stood to look at the bride coming down the aisle. _His _bride. His Alice.

_Oh yes, in this case, two is definitely better than one, _he thought, as he took her hands, ready, finally, to turn "I" into "we."

* * *

6. Song: Good Girls Go Bad - Cobra Starship

Alice had always been a good kid. Really, she had. Never ditched school, got good grades, never--_never--_missed training or a tournament. But there was just something about Hatter that made her want to break rules.

And when it came to Hatter, no rule was too strict to be broken.

* * *

7. Song: Your Love is My Drug - Ke$ha (don't judge)

_"I get so high when you're with me but crash and crave you when you leave..."_

Alice wondered if Hatter had ever sold a tea that gave someone a high as big as she got when he was around.

She thought she was hiding pretty well how happy she was when he was around but apparently it was just as obvious to everyone around her.

Or, to her mom, at least.

Carol pulled her daughter aside one day they were spending out with Hatter. "Alice, I want you to be careful. You seem...very attached to this David boy."

"Yeah, Mom, isn't that a good thing? I haven't kicked him out yet. You're always telling me to keep one around long enough to actually get to know him. Now I have. What's the problem?"

"You just seem to...orient yourself around him so much. And you've only known him a few days. Just be careful, okay."

"Right, Mom, will do." Alice called over her shoulder as she skipped back to Hatter, happier than she'd ever been.

* * *

8. Voice Mail #4 - Jonathan Larson (RENT)

Situation: What if Hatter was searching for a job?

"Mr. Hatter!" a high-pitched, sing-song, sleazy-sounding voice rang out over the answering machine. "The patrons _loved _you. We want you _baack_. Call me _baack._ _Haatter_, sell us your soul! Just kidding."

Alice pressed the delete button on the machine. "It's okay. You don't need a job _that_ bad."

* * *

9. Gold Digger - Glee Cast

Situation: What if Hatter had to fend off Tea-heads who just want their fix?

"Oh, Hatter," slurred the busty blonde with the big, glazed-over blue eyes "You're office is _lovely_. Is this real grass? I love it. You know what else I love? Joy Tea." She saunters up to him, and rubs her fingers up and down his arms, up his neck, and tries to tangle them in his hair, "I would do _anything_ for some joy, Hatter, if you know what I mean."

He sighs, removing her hands from around his neck. "Come on, love, time to sleep it off." He tows her over to his counch, and lays her down, placing a blanket on top of her overly-curvy body. She falls asleep almost instantly, her whole system having been ravaged by the tea there. Hatter sits himself down in his chair for a long night's work, placing his headphones over his ears to drown out the blonde's snores.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

10. Once Upon a Dream - Disney's Sleeping Beauty

Situation: What if Alice dreamed Hatter before she met him?

Alice had always had dreamed vividly; good or bad, happy or sad, she always remembered them as well as any real-life memory.

Which is why she was stunned when she saw one of her dreams made flesh before her, in a world she had never expected to visit. The two men (one man?) were mirror images of one another, right down to the pork pie hat and slightly nasally voice.

What _was_ this place?

**A/N2: Here they are. Some of them I like, some of them not so much. Number 8 will make a lot more sense if you've heard the song, and I encourage you to look it up; it's only about 45 seconds long. Like it? Hate it? Let me know. And thanks to all of you who have stuck with this. **

**Till next time (which will be sooner than three weeks this time, promise),  
Headphones.  
**


	11. The Ball

**A/N: What's this? An early update? Perish the thought! I'm going out of town for the weekend, and wanted to get this up before I went. **

**The situation: What if Alice had been convinced to stay behind for Jack's coronation, and there was a ball afterward? **

**I disclaim.  
**

Alice sat on the circular bed in her room at Jack's stand-in palace, contemplating the four gowns laid out before her. Each had been custom made for her, and each was equally lovely.

Unable to decide, Alice called over the Two of Diamonds who had been set to attend her (a thought that still made her vaguely uncomfortable); Two was a girl not much older than herself, and she looked supremely nervous. "Would you pick one for me? I just...I can't decide."

The Two furrowed her brow and examined closely the four dresses, concentrating as though her choice were life or death. Which, as Alice thought about it, could very well could have been the case under the previous Queen. Finally, she pointed to the middle one. "That one, my Lady Alice. The shade will compliment your skin nicely, and set off your eyes."

That particular failure still irked--she hadn't been able to get people just to call her "Alice." In the three days since the mad queen's deposition, she'd corrected people an innumerable number of times, and only ever received a nod, a knowing smile, and an "as the Lady Alice says," in response. It made her want to scream.

Drawing herself back to the present with a shake of her head, Alice studied the dress Two had indicated more closely. It shimmered faintly, the embroidery spilling down the bodice narrowing as it reached her hips. Even without seeing it on herself, Alice knew the dress would emphasize what needed emphasizing, and erase any flaws.

"Good choice, um...Two." Alice was proud of only stumbling slightly over the girl's title. "Erm...would you help me put it on? I don't think I could do up all those tiny buttons on my own."

Two bobbed a small curtsy, and smiled. "Of course, Lady Alice. That _is_ why I'm here."

* * *

_Trust Wonderland to make a coronation ceremony no one will ever forget_, Alice thought as she entered the ballroom after said ceremony. Jack had radiated pride and happiness, knowing that he would, finally, be able to bring peace and stability back to his home.

In a surprising turn of events, Jack's re-engagement to the Duchess had also been announced this evening. Despite the amount of confidence each always exuded, the seemed almost shy around one another, and Alice found it absolutely adorable.

While attempting to find a quiet corner to watch the proceedings, Alice was waylaid by numerous Wonderlandians, all attempting to congratulate her, or take advantage of her close relationship with the new King (though some were obviously still mistaken about _how_ close that relationship was, despite the evening's announcement). Excusing herself from yet _another_ a group of former Suits , Alice snagged a glass of some sort of fruit juice from a passing tray, and ensconced herself in a corner.

Gazing around the room, she spotted Hatter, his ever-messy hair curling around the brim of his _very_ tall top hat. She raised her eyebrows, feigning nonchalance as her heart picked up speed at the sight of him in his tux and tails (remarkably subdued for him, but still unbelievably sexy). Catching her eye, he grinned crookedly, making his way across the room to her side.

"Who would've guessed you'd clean up so nice?" she teased.

He smiled absently, tugging lightly at his jacket cuffs, mock-debonair, and eyed her up and down "One might say the same about you, Lady Alice. Blue, though? You, my dear, are running the risk of becoming a cliché."

She punched him lightly on the shoulder. "I told you not to call me that. You know better than anyone that I'm just, plain, simple Alice. And, yes, blue. I don't think the people here would _let_ me dress in anything else. All of the choices they gave me were one shade of it or another."

He just looked at her for another moment, then, out of nowhere, said "Dance with me?"

"I don't dance," she said, recoiling slightly.

"But I do. Quite well, actually."

She smiled inwardly, _still as cocky as ever_. "That's beside the point. _I _still can't dance. You'll just have to find someone else." Only half-teasing, her heart sank a little at the prospect.

"But I don't _want_ to dance with anyone else. Are you really going to deny the hero of Wonderland?" He took her hand, walking backwards toward the dance floor. Alice was reminded forcibly of the time he'd done the same thing on the ledge in the city just after they'd met. She even felt the same near-paralyzing fear this time. _I'll look like a fool. Would he really let me, though?_

She followed him reluctantly. "I thought _I _was the hero of Wonderland."

"No, you're the heroine. Every good heroine needs a hero, don't you think? For comic relief, maybe, or for someone to get her out of trouble when she can't herself, despite her extraordinary skills?" One eyebrow rose.

Hatter led them to the middle of the dance floor--_of course he would, _she thought--and twirled her once, before bringing the hand not holding hers to her waist. She hesitated. "Now yours on my shoulder," he instructed, voice gentle.

She obeyed, perhaps less reluctantly that she would have a moment ago, and then he was moving in time to the music, and she found she liked dancing with Hatter. His strong, graceful movements removed some of her insecurities, and her skin tingled where he touched it, despite the layers of cloth between them. Regaining her voice, Alice said "So you're saying you're my hero...?" It was her turn to smirk.

His face remained serious. "If you want me to be."

She considered. "Yeah, that might be nice." She smiled.

And he smiled.

And they danced.

**A/N 2: The story behind this: I watched _Carrie_ for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and it got me thinking (besides the usual "Oh holy crap, what's going on?!"): What if Alice and Hatter were to go to a prom? Oh no, wait, that would involve putting them in High School, and that's just a mess I don't want to get into. So, it morphed into this. **

**I hope you liked it. **

**Till next time,  
HeadPhones. **

**P.S. I just want to thank all of you for sticking with this, especially those of you who have been here from the beginning. You know who you are.  
**


	12. The Bullet

**Hey, Kids. Here's my latest installment. Hope you enjoy.**

**I disclaim.  
**

Alice didn't know what to do with the bullet Hatter had taken for her.

It seemed wrong just to drop it on the floor of the bus elevator; it represented the first truly noble thing anyone had ever done for her. So, after removing the squashed thing from Hatter's Kevlar vest (_thank God he'd had it_), she stuffed it hastily into her pocket before continuing to chastise him for his lies.

When she arrived home, the bullet gained a new significance: it represented the only thing she had left from her excursion through Wonderland, the only thing to remind her she had ever been gone at all.

In the three days following her return, the bullet was never out of Alice's reach. Often, she would find herself staring at it for minutes, turning it over and over in her hands, forcing herself to recall every moment of her adventure, refusing to let herself forget. The fervor with which she had sought her father now turned to an investigation of Wonderland, and of Lewis Carroll, and of looking glasses. She abandoned every other part of her life in the attempt to find some trace of the Wonderland she had known-the _true_ Wonderland; the Wonderland, not of children's stories, but of despots, addicts and liars. And of knights, flying flamingos, and charming, dimpled con men.

In the late afternoon of the third day, Alice sat hunched over her desk, bleary eyes staring at a website detailing the "Hidden Satanic Messages in the works of Lewis Carroll," but not truly taking it in. She snagged the bullet from its place on her desk and just held it clutched in her hand, feeling the rounded end press into her hand, leaving a dent in the soft skin there, and reveling in the realness of it.

Her mother's voice broke her from her half-trance, "Alice, come meet David!"

Alice blinked, stretched, and rubbed her eyes, then called back, "Who?"

She heard her mother apologize quietly to whomever she was speaking ("I'm sorry, she must be tired, she's been through a lot, you know...blah blah blah."), and then call back, "the construction worker who found you, sweetie, he wanted to make sure you're okay. Very sweet."

A sudden flash of irritation flared in Alice. She didn't care how "sweet" this construction worker appeared to be, where did he get off invading her private life? Rolling her eyes at the audacity and idiocy of people, Alice stood and walked as slowly as possible to the living room, and raised her eyes to see her "savior."

And savior he was, though for many more convoluted reasons than her mother could possibly imagine. Hatter stood before her, strangely normal, but wonderfully there. His name flew from her lips of its own volition as she threw herself into his arms, and spoke the truest thing she could think of, "You have no idea how happy I am to see you."

He pulls back from the embrace, and for a horrible moment she's afraid she's said the wrong thing, but then she sees his almost-timid smile, and the what-the-hell look in his eye. And then she can't see anything, because he's kissing her, and the only sense she could deal with at the moment was touch, because his lips sent sparks right down to her toes and back, and she doesn't ever want to come up for air, but knows she must.

As she pulls away, his lips follow hers, just as unwilling as she is to break the contact. When they finally do, there is only time for his whispered "I missed you," before some unseen force pulls them back together.

She smiles into the kiss, and feels him smile back. Pulling back again she asks, suddenly unsure, "So, is this just a visit, or an envoy from the king or something, or are you here for good?"

He grins his cocky grin, "I'm here to stay. As long as you want me, love."

She smiles beatifically and leans back in for another kiss, ignoring her mother's sputtered questions and demands for an explanation "right now, young lady." Feeling her hand still clenched around the bullet, she realizes she doesn't need it anymore; it's going into the box with her father's things as soon as she can get it there. She has her arms wrapped around all the reminder she'll ever need.

**Hope you enjoyed it. I know I've been gone a long time, and I guess I can give you my excuses if you want them, but I won't waste your time here.  
Feedback would be wonderful, whether you liked it or (especially) not. Let me know.**

**Till next time,  
HeadPhones. **


	13. The Confessional

**This isn't technically a "What If?" situation, but I felt like it needed to be written. It's definitely bordering on an M rating for language and thematic content. Read at your own discretion.**

**I disclaim.  
**

Alice found herself recently single. Again.

This one had been so _nice_, too. Too nice. Too good. No one could be so upright, have intentions that good. She couldn't let him hurt her, as he'd doubtless been planning, so she'd backed out. Classic case of what her mom called "Alicitis," and what a shrink would doubtless call "abandonment issues."

So, once again, Alice donned her skimpiest clothes—raspberry-colored skirt that barely covered her ass, deep blue halter that left bare a wide strip of toned stomach, and five-inch electric purple stilettos—dancing in the middle of the floor of a trashy club, her third (or fourth?) drink held high over her head, surrounded by people, dancing with no one, cold despite the heat of the bodies pressed in on all sides.

From an outsider's perspective, this dive appeared no different from any of the others in this, the shadiest part, of town. Alice chose it for her moments of escapism for one reason only: the part of the night dubbed "The Confessional."

The already-dim lights fade along with the music and, in the anonymity given by the near-pitch-darkness, people shout their secrets.

"I'm such a hypocrite."

"I hate myself for doing this every night, but I can't stop."

"I never enjoy sex with my boyfriend but he gives me expensive gifts when he has extra fun. I feel like a hooker."

"…I lied…"

"…I cheated…"

"…I love…I hate..."

On and on they go, sometimes shouted in drunken slurs, others in voices brimming with tears, still others in near-joyous exclamations. Some are inconsequential, some enigmatic, some tragic, but all contain a ring of truth, and through them, a picture of the darkest and brightest parts of human nature coalesces.

Alice never participated. She simply enjoyed the catharsis that came with hearing other people shout their secrets—her secrets, sometimes—it gave her a connection to the world she felt no where else.

Tonight, however, her confession pours out of her, and is lost in the darkness and the press of bodies, just another terrible truth, "I'm broken inside—a lost cause. Something's wrong with me—I want to let people in, but I can't. I'm a fucking zombie."

She expects an even deeper sense of the calm that always overtakes her at this time of the night. Instead, she reels at the truth of her statement, and retreats further into herself. Every hurtful thing anyone had ever said to her replays in her head, "frigid bitch," "stuck up," "unlovable," and she absorbs each one, accepting it as true.

She doesn't realize tears have pooled in her eyes until they pour down her face. Tears, not for the insults hurled at her, or for what's-his-name, or any of the now-nameless-and-faceless men who had come before him, but for the truth of her statement; she was broken. The place where love was supposed to go had gone, rotted away, decayed from too many years of darkness, the doors to her heart shut tight. She was irreparably damaged.

So Alice did the only thing she knew how. She danced harder and drank more, tears running down her face, pushing thought away, feeling more dead with every movement.

**Hope you liked it. Till next time,  
HeadPhones  
**


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